Pages

Friday, January 21, 2011

Truth is, FIAT now has a 25% stake in Chrysler so squeezing out some common platforms, smaller cars and longer production runs is important. Even if it means building Chryslers in Italia, or Alfas in North America. As for Alfa selling well in Germany, hasn't it always?

Alfa Romeo says six different suspension tunes are applied throughout a range that is more expansive in Europe, with the sportiest set-up, suitably, reserved for the range-topping ‘Cloverleaf’ – or Quadrifoglio Verde as Alfa prefers.

It’s not overly firm, though – rather surprisingly supple. The ride gets fussier over patchy surfaces but it generally provides adequate comfort. Crucially, for a GTI rival, this is well balanced with the kind of accomplished handling that has been missing from Alfas for far too long.

The Cloverleaf’s 18-inch tyres generate the kind of grip that inspires confidence even on damp roads, while front-wheel traction is aided by Alfa’s Q2 electronic differential.

The so-called Multiair engine, which employs innovative electro-hydraulic inlet valve management and debuted in the MiTo late last year, is a little gem even with a manual.

It’s sluggish just off idle but, once past 1500 revs, a bountiful mid-range is there to be exploited. You won’t need to change gears frequently, which is ideal when the shift action, as with the Cloverleaf, isn’t entirely satisfying and the driver’s left foot has to rest under the clutch pedal because of a lack of footwell space or footrest.

Stop-start tech contributes to highly respectable efficiency of 5.8L/100km, and noise refinement is particularly impressive in the base Giulietta, with the smaller, 17-inch tyres even quieter than the Cloverleaf’s 18s over coarse surfaces.

The new compact Alfa has also driven sales in Europe, where he gained 32,000 customers, and only in Germany, the Italian brand has grown by 113.5%. And this year the same Wester raised its target to 100,000 units for Juliet, because the list is antrato -2 new 2.0 JTDM 140 bhp that exploiting the new generation of Common Rail Multijet system goes to stand in the middle of the range Juliet diesel, including the 1.6 105 hp and 170 hp 2.0 proposals already being launched.

Sergio Marchionne got 54 percent of the workers at Fiat's Mirafiori factory in Turin to vote in favour of a groundbreaking contract that limits wildcat strikes and absenteeism around holidays. In exchange, the automaker will invest nearly $1.4 billion to modernize the plant.

As a result, Mirafiori will now produce the Jeep Patriot and Compass alongside the Alfa Romeo Giulia midsize sedan and station wagon, not to mention a midsize SUV. Production is scheduled to start in the third quarter of 2012, and both Chrysler and Fiat expect to benefit from economies of scale.

These posts represent my opinions only and may have
little or no association with the "facts" as you or
others see them. Look
elsewhere, think, make up your own mind. If I quote someone
else I
attribute. If I link to a web site it's because I have
visited it myself and wish to refer to it, however that linking
doesn't denote, imply or suggest any ownership, agreement
with or control over that content. If an advertisement appears
it's because I affiliate with Google, Amazon and others
similar in nature and
usually means nothing more than that... the Internet is a wild
and untamed place folks, so please tread warily. My posts do
not constitute consultation, advice or legal opinion of any
sort.

All original material is copyright 2010 by myself, too, in
accord with
the Creative Commons licence below.